GOP wins Onslow Board

Jack Bright waits for election results at GOP headquarters in Jacksonville on election night. Bright — who was previously elected to the board in 2000 and appointed for a short period in 2008 – was reelected Tuesday.

John Althouse/The Daily News

By LINDELL KAY - Daily News Staff

Published: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 11:39 PM.

Republicans, four incumbents and a new, but familiar, member will make up the next Onslow County Board of Commissioners.

“I’m humbled about this,” top vote getter Jack Bright said. “I am gratified to see so many people come out in the rain and vote.”

Bright — who was previously elected to the board in 2000 and appointed for a short period in 2008 — said he was looking forward to getting to work for Onslow County residents.

Bright received 29,034 votes or 14.97 percent. He was followed, in descending order, by Paul Buchanan, who received 27,936 votes or 14.41 percent; Barbara Ikner with 27,941 votes or 14.41 percent; W.C. Jarman with 27,239 votes or 14.05 percent; and Lionell Midgett with 26,849 votes or 13.85 percent, all incumbent Republicans. Democrats Tommie Thomas followed with 19,802 votes or 10.21 percent; Hattie Angel with 18,564 votes or 9.57 percent; and Clarence Judd with 16,545 votes or 8.53 percent. A total of 193,910 votes were cast in the race. Tallies are unofficial until the Nov. 16 canvass.

Thomas, a Jacksonville police officer, came closest of the three Democratic challengers to landing a seat on the all-Republican board.

“I couldn’t beat Mitt Romney,” Thomas said. “When you have a Republican candidate not show up to any debates and barely campaign and still win then it’s not about the candidates it’s about the parties.”

Thomas was referring to Jarman, the current chairman of the board, who did not attend two candidate forums last month.

Republicans, four incumbents and a new, but familiar, member will make up the next Onslow County Board of Commissioners.

“I’m humbled about this,” top vote getter Jack Bright said. “I am gratified to see so many people come out in the rain and vote.”

Bright — who was previously elected to the board in 2000 and appointed for a short period in 2008 — said he was looking forward to getting to work for Onslow County residents.

Bright received 29,034 votes or 14.97 percent. He was followed, in descending order, by Paul Buchanan, who received 27,936 votes or 14.41 percent; Barbara Ikner with 27,941 votes or 14.41 percent; W.C. Jarman with 27,239 votes or 14.05 percent; and Lionell Midgett with 26,849 votes or 13.85 percent, all incumbent Republicans. Democrats Tommie Thomas followed with 19,802 votes or 10.21 percent; Hattie Angel with 18,564 votes or 9.57 percent; and Clarence Judd with 16,545 votes or 8.53 percent. A total of 193,910 votes were cast in the race. Tallies are unofficial until the Nov. 16 canvass.

Thomas, a Jacksonville police officer, came closest of the three Democratic challengers to landing a seat on the all-Republican board.

“I couldn’t beat Mitt Romney,” Thomas said. “When you have a Republican candidate not show up to any debates and barely campaign and still win then it’s not about the candidates it’s about the parties.”

Thomas was referring to Jarman, the current chairman of the board, who did not attend two candidate forums last month.

Thomas said he wasn’t finished with politics and may consider giving county commissioner another go in four years.

“I’m going to let it sink in,” he said. “Who knows, I may be a Republican next time. Being a conservative Democrat doesn’t seem to work in Onslow County.”

Jarman said feels Onslow County is on the right track and needs to keep going in the same direction.

“I’d continue to keep going the way we’re going,” he said. “Keep trying to move the county forward. That’s the biggest thing. Get our education on track.”

Buchanan, a police instructor from Swansboro, said the voters showed they wanted experienced commissioners.

“The voters have spoken,” he said.

Midgett, a retired banker from Verona, said he felt positive about the results.

“I would like to see the buildings we have planned to be completed,” he said. “I would like to see us control expenses so the tax rate can be as low as possible and I would like to see us keep moving the county forward.”

All the candidates agreed during the race that improving the economy and adding more jobs to the local workforce was of utmost importance. The only real campaign issue was the current board’s decision to move county offices out of downtown into a to-be-built $22 million government center in Burton Park, an industrial area on Richlands Highway more than three miles from Jacksonville.

Incumbent candidates said the government center, once built, will provide an incentive for businesses to move into the park without hurting downtown Jacksonville. Challengers said a move would hamper attempts at downtown revitalization.

Thomas and Judd said the offices shouldn’t be moved with Judd saying he would even consider legal action to halt the process. Angel said she didn’t like the move, but would support it since the die had already been cast.

Bright said he will ask the new board to reevaluate which offices should be moved out of downtown, especially the tax office. Bright said residents and lawyers who have business with the register of deeds office, which is remaining downtown, often have corresponding business with the tax office.

Jarman, Buchanan, Ikner and Midgett voted along with Bill Keller for the move in July. Keller lost in the May GOP primary and was not reappointed by his fellow commissioners to the Onslow County Health Board last month.

Bright said he expects to be able to work together with the new board.

“I can work with anyone,” Bright said. “I spent a long time as a police officer listening to both sides of an issue and helping people come together.”

Ikner, from Sneads Ferry and serving her second term, said she was pleased with the results.

“I believe it is as I thought it would be,” she said. “I just pray that our county and our country will unite and move forward.

“We have a lot of work to do in Onslow County, I believe we are on a good path and we need to keep it going.”

Contact Daily News Senior Reporter Lindell Kay at 910-219-8455 or lindell.kay@jdnews.com. Follow him on Twitter and friend him on Facebook @ 1lindell.